Throughout the Multiverse
by DownToTheSea
Summary: A collection of three-sentence AU ficlets written for prompts on Tumblr.
1. Super Villains

**Prompt: Super villains AU**

* * *

"You, me, handcuffs," Nikola leaned in close and whispered, barely audible over the humming of the energy shield he and Helen had been imprisoned behind.

"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself; I wish I could say the same, but _someone_ insisted on using pigeons in his grand master plan and now we're in rather a bind."

"Oh, you can say that again," he murmured, but she felt something slip into her palm, and when she turned to look at him, he was gazing at her with mischief sparkling in his clear blue eyes, and utter certainty that the two of them would triumph on their latest adventure.


	2. Bookshop

**Prompt: Bookshop AU**

* * *

He came in every Saturday at ten o'clock sharp, and followed the same pattern every time: first he looked at the new arrivals shelf, then the nonfiction section, then the science fiction, and finally he dropped off a few books for Helen's ongoing used book sale at the table in the back.

They struck up a conversation about his tattered copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ , and it wasn't long before insulated cups of tea from Helen's favorite shop on the corner began to join the books on her counter every Saturday, though she wasn't sure if the tea warmed her more than the sight of his enthusiastic grin.

Then one day three red roses appeared on top of his book donations, and Nikola's grin was tentative and almost shy; at least, until Helen had reached across the counter and pulled him into a long, deep kiss.


	3. High School

**Prompt: High School AU**

* * *

 _You must be made of uranium and iodine because all I can see is U and I together,_ read the note in Nikola's flourishing handwriting, accompanied by a post-script: _You look hot_.

Helen took a look at his "I regret nothing" smirk and rolled her eyes, hissing for him to pay attention as the teacher made a circuit of the room to check their lab work.

They'd been dating for close to six months, but Nikola still delighted in passing these flirty little notes every week; it was rather ridiculous, but as their hands clasped together under the table, Helen found that she wouldn't have had it any other way.


	4. Royalty

**Prompt: Royalty AU**

* * *

They danced late into the night, until Helen had finally relaxed her stiff, regal posture and laid her cheek on Nikola's shoulder, holding him tightly, her eyes closed and a look of concentration on her face, as though she were trying to commit every detail of how he felt in her arms to memory.

That same look was on her face the next morning, when he woke to her gentle caresses and smiled at her while she stroked his hair, softly kissing her good morning for the first and last time.

He dropped her off at the embassy only a few hours later, his heart aching when she turned around for one last glance, their eyes meeting across the sudden vast gulf between them; then, squaring her shoulders, she turned away, a distant queen once more, and disappeared through the doors.


	5. Pirates

**Prompt: Pirate AU**

* * *

"You're worth more than all the gold in the world," Nikola told her, smiling dreamily at her from where he lay in her bed, the morning sunlight catching on his dusty-brown hair and making it glimmer like his current topic of conversation.

"An admirable sentiment, Nikola," Helen said dryly as she finished dressing and strapped on her pistols and sword, "but not one that's likely to keep my ship seaworthy – now are you coming, or shall I have to drag you out to show me where this treasure of yours is?"

"My treasure is right here," he said with unexpected and rather disarming sincerity, but she mustered up a glare and he sat up and added, "Very well, my dear Helen, treasure-hunting it is."


	6. The Little Mermaid

**Prompt: Disney movie (author's choice - I picked the Little Mermaid XD)**

* * *

Nikola sighed, propping his head against his hand and his arm against the rock he was hiding behind, the warm ocean waves lapping at his tail, and watched as Queen Helen stood up slowly, leaning on the arm of her very tall steward and blinking away the fogginess from her near-drowning.

Even after she had steadied, she looked around with a troubled expression, like she was forgetting something important; Nikola's heart leapt, but before he could decide whether or not to reveal himself, she had been hurried away by the steward and the other members of her court who had come looking for her.

He fell back, disappointed, before turning and diving into the ocean with a splash and new determination; somehow, he would find a way onto land to discover more about all the fascinating inventions he had salvaged from shipwrecks, and perhaps once he was there, he could see the equally fascinating Helen again too.


	7. Harry Potter

**Prompt: Harry Potter AU (technically a part of my Phoenix Feather and Dragon Heartstring series, but can be read as a stand-alone.)**

* * *

Helen was the most brilliant witch Nikola had ever known, but there was one spell that often defeated her, during their years as students at Hogwarts and after: the Patronus Charm, and it annoyed her to no end that Nikola was able to perform it nearly flawlessly every time without even seeming to struggle.

Of course, Nikola delighted in teasing her with all sorts of ridiculous possibilities: secret magical libraries in Ravenclaw Tower, guidance from a fairy he'd met on summer holidays, a potion that increased his magical ability _and_ gave him his utterly irresistible tousled hair.

But the truth was that he did have a secret weapon, which had always been and would always be _her_ – simply thinking about Helen, how perfectly content he was in her company, the thrill of excitement that ran through him when they were deep in discussion about magical theory, the warm sparkle of her beautiful blue eyes, all of those things were enough by themselves; and on the day Helen had told him she loved him for the first time, Nikola knew he would never have a more perfect memory.


	8. Freckles

**Prompt: AU where Nikola has freckles as a vamp**

* * *

"Aww, Helen, did you really have to include the freckles in here?" Nikola asked, grimacing as he scrolled through his file in the Sanctuary database, before adding, "It doesn't exactly scream 'fearsome vampiric majesty.'"

"But you do have them, Nikola, and I'm sure you understand that I can't leave out any information that might potentially help us understand vampires better," Helen said, rising and circling the desk to lean over him and wind her arms around his neck.

This seemed to mollify Nikola somewhat, and kissing a few of the aforementioned freckles on his nose and cheeks helped even more, so that when Helen returned to her own seat, her freckly vampire was nearly glowing, and had quite forgotten to worry about his fearsome vampiric majesty.


	9. The Little Mermaid II

**Prompt: continuation of the first Little Mermaid fic**

* * *

Nikola gathered quickly that the dinglehopper was not meant to be used as a hair-styling device after all, when serious Queen Helen herself dissolved into hopeless laughter at the dinner table when he tried, but he was half-tempted to keep going just to keep hearing her beautiful ringing laugh.

She laughed again when they were standing in the courtyard, waiting for the carriage to take them on a tour of her kingdom, and a flock of pigeons flew down and settled on his arms and shoulders, and one daring bird even landed on his head.

But later, when they were on their way back to the castle with a blanket tucked over them against the night's chill, it was a softer smile that came over her face as she leaned closer to him, answered in kind by Nikola when their fingers interlaced gently.


	10. Baby Fic

**Prompt: Baby fic AU (Lana is from my other fic Objects in Motion)**

* * *

"Oh, Helen, look," Nikola whispered in pure delight, the expression on his face softer than she had ever seen it, "she likes me!"

Baby Lana, with her father's blue-grey eyes and irrepressible curiosity, had grasped onto Nikola's finger with her tiny hand, and didn't appear to want to let go.

"Of course she does," Helen said, smiling at his still-awestruck expression; a warm glow washed over her as he began to sing softly in Serbian, cradling their daughter gently in his arms.


	11. ParentTeacher

**Prompt: Parent/teacher meeting AU**

* * *

"And there's Mr. Tesla," Henry said, beaming and dragging Helen over to a tall, thin man with his back to them: Henry's very favorite teacher, who taught math and science and had encouraged all of Henry's interest in computers and engineering.

Mr. Tesla turned around and greeted Henry enthusiastically, exchanging some technobabble about one of Henry's assignments before introductions to Helen were made; her first impression of him was how wide and contagious his grin was, followed by his striking bright blue eyes with a spark of mischief in them.

"Call me Nikola," he said, his hand outstretched, and as she reached forward to shake it, Helen had a feeling that this wouldn't be the last time she'd take his hand.


	12. StarfleetMaquis

**Prompt: Starfleet/Maquis AU**

* * *

"Starfleet?" Nikola Tesla, famed Maquis scientist, bit out, glaring at Helen's insignia with remarkably energetic spite for someone who had been in the hands of the Cardassians (not known for their tender care of prisoners) for several weeks; but he was swaying on his feet, and Helen hadn't left her medical skills behind when she assumed command red: she longed to get him into a biobed, though at the moment she had more pressing concerns.

"Don't be ridiculous," she snapped back, stepping closer, "I'm your best shot out of here and you know it – now come along quickly, before the guards wake up, or my ship is detected."

He gave her a resentful look, but he knew it was either her or the Cardassians, so he finally nodded, turning to the device he'd been forced to work on: "No one is getting their hands on this – not the Cardassians, not Starfleet, not anyone, you understand?" he demanded fiercely, and looked surprised when Helen answered quietly, "I agree; is there anything I can do to help?"


	13. HadesPersephone

**Prompt: Hades/Persephone AU**

* * *

As the sweet notes of the lyre echoed through the dark throne room, everything seemed to grow warmer and softer; Nikola found himself reaching out for Helen instinctively, closing the distance between their thrones as his cold fingers entwined with hers.

Her warmth seeped into him, and when he turned to look at her, her blue eyes were shining, the music seeming to recall to their minds all the long days of their lives together.

He didn't feel any special amount of pity for the mortal in front of them; after all, Nikola would be deprived of his love for half of every year for all eternity – yet anyone who could call that look into Helen's eyes deserved some reward, and after she nodded her acquiescence, Nikola prepared to declare his judgement.


	14. Blind Date

**Prompt: Blind Date AU**

* * *

Nikola fiddled with his tie (crimson with a matching pocket square, so his date would know him), looking around the restaurant nervously and wondering again just how Nigel had roped him into doing this, going out with someone he'd never even met: utterly ridiculous, no matter how incredible Nigel swore this Dr. Magnus was.

An hour later, when Dr. Magnus herself sat across from him, resplendent in a matching red dress and deep in conversation with him about quantum mechanics, Nikola thought perhaps Nigel hadn't been generous enough.

He was so focused on Helen he barely even noticed the wine, or the food, or really anything about his surroundings until Helen rose with a playful smile, and suggested they retire somewhere more private; he grinned back at her, taking her hand and following her out.


	15. Oxford

**Prompt: Oxford Teslen AU, Nikola accidentally compromises Helen's reputation and they have to get engaged to save it**

* * *

Of all the things Helen had ever expected to see, Nikola Tesla down on one knee, looking up at her with mingled affection and sadness and hope in his soft blue eyes was not one of them, but there he was, her hand clasped loosely in his as he waited for her answer.

"Nikola, you know how little I care for such things; I would not chain you to me for eternity simply for society's sake," she said gently, expecting her refusal to lighten his spirits, but to her surprise the sadness in his eyes only grew, and he said, his voice very quiet, "But it would make your work at the Sanctuary much easier, my dear, and it would not be a burden at all: at least, not to me, though of course if you feel otherwise – "

He stopped, because she was giving him the smile that only Nikola could inspire, her answer written plainly on her face; Nikola lit up with a brilliant smile of his own, and when Helen drew him to his feet, he melted into her arms.


	16. Piano PlayerSinger

**Prompt: Piano player and their singer AU**

* * *

Helen owned the stage, her beaded gown glimmering in the low light as she swayed, both hands on the microphone, and sang "The Way You Look Tonight," her rich velvety voice reverberating throughout the room.

Nikola knew the song so well that his fingers moved across the keys seemingly without input from himself, and he was free to watch Helen enrapture her audience (and him, if he was being honest), magnificent as always.

She shot him a smoldering look when the song came to an end and he added his own elaborate flourish to the final notes; it wasn't ten seconds after they had left the stage that they were in each other's arms, kissing hungrily, Helen's hands tangled in his hair, before they stumbled hand-in-hand down the backstage corridor to her dressing room and locked the door.


	17. Tattoo Artist

**Prompt: Tattoo artist AU**

* * *

Every morning when she opened her shop doors, Helen caught the eye of the florist next to her doing the same: he was quite handsome in his tailored suits, with spiky brown hair and an infectious grin that always made Helen start her day with a smile.

One afternoon, after setting down an elaborate floral arrangement on her counter and stammering for about thirty seconds, Nikola finally swallowed and said, hoarsely, "I'd like a tattoo, please."

Helen smiled, leaning over and taking his hand, saying, "No, you don't - you want a drink, and I know just the place."


	18. Lord of the Rings

**Prompt: Lord of the Rings AU/crossover**

* * *

Starlight glimmered on the snow-capped peaks of the Misty Mountains, a beautiful and cold reminder of what awaited them at the end of this journey; it glinted also on Helen's unsheathed sword, wreathed in softly shining blue light: enemies were close, but not upon them yet.

Nikola carried no sword: he was a craftsman, not a warrior, and had forged Helen's blade himself, as well as a number of lesser rings (though he scowled whenever anyone used the term "lesser"); yet he had seen too many of his creations turned to the service of evil, and refused now to make weapons for anyone save Helen, whom he had trusted and loved ever since he met her under the autumn leaves of Imladris countless mortal lifetimes ago, and would love as long as he drew breath, even after they passed beyond the Grey Havens together.

"Nikola," Helen said in her musical voice, "I hope you are composing a useful spell instead of more of your romantic poetry; there are at least two packs of Warg-riders behind us, and I may need some small amount of assistance from you," to which Nikola only replied, "Of course, my dear."


	19. Star Trek Discovery

**Prompt: Star Trek Discovery AU (though this ended up being more of a crossover lol)**

* * *

"A spore drive?!" Nikola echoed with unrestrained enthusiasm, his eyes dancing with excitement in the light of the glittering blue spores Lt. Stamets had just released.

"I notice he's left the side effects out, as usual," Dr. Culber said dryly from where he stood next to Helen, watching the two engineers gesture eagerly at each other, both talking at once but seeming to follow the other's points perfectly.

Helen raised an eyebrow, making a note to drag Nikola away by his ear if necessary before either of them hurt themselves, and said, "Geniuses are quite frustrating, aren't they?" to which Dr. Culber nodded with a long-suffering but unmistakably fond sigh.


	20. Lara CroftTomb Raider

**Prompt: Tomb Raider/Lara Croft AU**

* * *

"You just had to examine the sarcophagus up close, didn't you?" Helen shouted at Nikola as they ran hand-in-hand down the cramped passage of the tomb, the rock walls shaking around them.

"Scientific curiosity!" he shouted back, before swerving to avoid a small boulder that crashed down where his head had been only moments ago; it threw them both off balance and they tumbled to the ground, rolling with the momentum until Helen was situated not uncomfortably on top of Nikola.

"Besides," he went on with a grin and an appreciative glance down, "it's not as if I summoned a horde of zombies like last time, right?"

"I suppose not," Helen agreed begrudgingly; she always found it rather difficult to hold anything against him when those distracting dimples of his were on display, and at least the earthquakes seemed to be calming.

An unsettling creaking noise issued from further on down the passage, and Helen tore her gaze away from Nikola to see dark shapes shambling at them out of the murkiness.

"On the other hand, you may want to rethink that," she said, and jumped to her feet, tugging Nikola up by one hand and stepping in front of him, and drawing her gun with the other.


	21. Indiana Jones

**Prompt: Indiana Jones AU**

* * *

"They don't know what they've got there," Helen seethed, casting a furious glare back up her shoulder at the museum entrance as she took Nikola's arm and descended the steps.

"Of course not, they're idiots," Nikola agreed, before stopping and turning to her, tilting her hat up with the tip of his finger, "but I know what I've got here."

He kissed her softly, ignoring the strange looks they got from the people passing by, before they pulled apart and resumed walking; "I don't suppose you'd be up for tracking down their warehouse?" Helen asked, raising an eyebrow, and Nikola only grinned.


	22. Warehouse 13

**Prompt: Warehouse 13 AU**

* * *

"Nikola Tesla?" Agent Helen Magnus echoed disbelievingly, looking down the barrel of her gun at the man who had just appeared out of thin air in the middle of the warehouse, "the Nikola Tesla, the scientist?"

He didn't look exactly like the Nikola Tesla - he had a remarkably modern suit and haircut, for one thing (Helen found herself staring at his fluffy, wildly unkempt hair in fascination before dragging her eyes back down to his), but he grinned and said, "The one and only."

He brightened even more when he saw what she was carrying: "Oh, hey, they're still using those!" he said, taking a step towards her, before Helen pulled the trigger, a bright blue wave of electricity shot out and hit him squarely in the chest, and he toppled over into her waiting arms.


	23. DaredevilElektra

**Prompt: Elektra AU (I used the Daredevil/Defenders TV shows since I'm not familiar with the movie.)**

* * *

"Helen, please," Nikola said, swallowing, his eyes flicking between the sword point at his throat and her own eyes, distant and vengeful, "it's me, it's Nikola: your best friend and eternal pain in your ass… you remember me, right?"

"I love you," he said softly, figuring if he was going to say it he might as well get it out before she skewered him - but her expression changed and faltered, and Nikola felt a little spark of hope; he added, still in that soft voice, "Vienna in springtime, do you remember that?"

Then the sword fell away slightly and recognition came into Helen's eyes; "Nikola?" she asked, voice unsteady, before dropping the sword and meeting him halfway, their arms wrapping around each other and holding on tight.


End file.
